Nissan Qashqai is the Continental Irish Car of the Year 2015

The Nissan Qashqai has won the prestigious Continental Irish Car of the Year 2015 award, writes Padraic Deane. For the 38th. consecutive year, the award has been voted for by the members of the Irish Motoring Writers’ Association (IMWA). The announcement was made at the awards ceremony on Friday afternoon in The Marker Hotel in Dublin. It was attended by leading figures from the motor industry.

The result, which was very tightly contested is as follows:
1. Nissan Qashqai               160 points
2  Mercedes-Benz C-Class  155 points
3. Peugeot 308                     150 points

The Irish Motoring Writers Association jury awarded points on the basis of criteria ranging from innovation and safety to space, comfort, build quality, driving quality, residual value and value for money.

As a juror (and indeed the only one based in Connacht) for the Continental Irish Car of the Year, I alway declare my vote and my top 6 in the final round of voting were: 1. Nissan Qashqai; 2. Mercedes-Benz C-Class (which was also the 1,2, winning order); 3. BMW 2 Series Active Tourer; 4. Peugeot 308; 5, Citroen C4 Cactus; and 6, Toyota Aygo.

Presenting the long established award to James McCarthy, CEO of Nissan Ireland, Tom Dennigan of sponsor, Continental Tyres Ireland, commented: “From a great crop of entrants for this year’s award, the Irish motoring writers have selected an exciting model to carry the 2015 title and no doubt the Continental Irish Car of the Year accolade will provide a great badge of honour for the Nissan Qashqai to help it in the competitive Irish market next year.”

Austin Shinnors, Chairman of the IMWA said: “In this the 38th. year of our awards, the Nissan Qashqai is a great car to join the previous 37 models that have had the privilege to carry the title of Irish Car of the Year”.

Awards were made in six categories, reflecting the diversified nature of today’s car market in Ireland.
Continental Irish Small Car of the Year – Hyundai i10.
Continental Irish Compact Car of the Year – Peugeot 308,
Continental Irish Medium Car of the Year – Nissan Qashqai,
Continental Irish Large Car of the Year – Nissan X-Trail,
Continental Irish Executive Car of the Year – Mercedes-Benz C-Class,
Continental Irish Sports / Performance Car of the Year – Alfa Romeo 4C.

The Nissan Qashqai succeeds the Citroen C4 Picasso which took the title last year.  The Continental Irish Van of the Year 2015 title was awarded to the Ford Transit.

The Irish Motoring Writers’ Association has organised the Irish Car of the Year Awards each year, for the past 38 years.

At the same event, the Ford Transit was voted Continental Irish Van of the Year for 2015, and again as a juror I am please to declare that I also had the new Ford Transit as my number one.

The results for the Continental Irish Car of the Year Awards 2015 have been independently reviewed for the Irish Motoring Writers Association (IMWA) by Ernst and Young, Dublin.